View full sizeReading Eagle Photo | JEREMY DREYReading's Michael Spidale beats out a throw to first base and Lehigh Valley's Cody Overbeck during the R-Phils 7-6 win over the IronPigs in the Route 222 Showcase.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs went through their final tune-up tonight before opening the 2012 Triple-A International League regular season on Thursday.

The 7-6 loss to Double-A Reading in the fifth annual Route 222 Showcase at FirstEnergy Stadium doesn’t hold much value.

What does is that Lehigh Valley dressed just 17 of its 25 available roster players. Eight members of the squad -- with three still to be determined -- were in Philadelphia participating with the Phillies against the Pirates in the On-Deck Series.

“I had one extra player on the bench in (John) Suomi,” IronPigs manager Ryne Sandberg said. “That will make the first few days that even more important. We’ll have a nice workout tomorrow. We have a lot to go over with the full 25 guys that I’ll have for the first time.”

Rejoining Lehigh Valley today will be pitchers Jeremy Horst, Pat Misch and Brian Sanches, catcher Tuffy Gosewisch and outfielder Luis Montanez, as well as three players to be named.

The IronPigs will have a full-squad workout from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Coca-Cola Park before hosting the Empire State Yankees for a two-game series beginning 7:05 p.m., Thursday to kick off the season.

“We have a lot to cover and that’s what I’m looking forward to, having our whole group together,” Sandberg said. “Then we’ll need to continue to do that through the homestand and even on the first road trip, going over things.

“The good thing about it is we’re coming out of spring training and I know the players I’ll end up having since I saw them all spring. I know what they can do and have an idea where to hit them in the lineup and what to do to get the most out of the players to help this team.”

Lehigh Valley was in such dire need of players against the R-Phils that four Reading players were made available to the IronPigs.

Suomi also pinch hit twice (in the fourth and sixth innings) and later entered the contest at catcher in place of starter Erik Kratz.

R-Phils pitchers Tyson Brummett, Chris Kissock, Juan Morillo and J.C. Ramirez all donned Pigs gear for the evening. The latter three saw action with Morillo picking up the loss after surrendering three runs on one hit and two walks in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Left-hander Tom Cochran started for Lehigh Valley. He gave up four runs on six hits in two innings.

A slew of relievers followed, including David Purcey, Michael Schwimer, Jake Diekman, Phillippe Aumont and the aforementioned R-Phils.

Reading starter Julio Rodriguez gave up six runs on five hits in 4.2 innings for the no decision. David Buchanan earned the victory with a three-inning, one-hit performance.

“It’s good to come here and see the Double-A guys,” Sandberg said. “I’m sure we’ll see some of them during the season. This is pretty much a final tune-up to get ready for opening day.

“It’s the first time under the lights. That’s a plus for everybody: the fielders, the outfielders, the hitters. I think we’ll get a lot of good out of it. It was good baseball weather out there.”